Dominic Coughlin, Secretary for the Isle of Wight County Teachers’ Association shares this latest news.
See the up-to-date list of which schools are affected. Ed
The NUT is taking national strike action today.
Some members of the NUT on the Isle of Wight will today be joining the national march and rally in London while others will be holding stalls in Ryde and Newport.
Dominic Coughlin, Isle of Wight NUT Secretary said:
“Teachers go into the profession to make a difference to children’s lives and to develop in them a love of learning. No teacher takes strike action lightly. Inadequate levels of funding, however, are having a negative effect on both children and teachers that cannot go unaddressed.
“According to the respected Institute of Fiscal Studies, schools are facing the worst funding cuts since the 1970s. This is impacting heavily on the choices and decisions that head teachers on the Isle of Wight and around the country have to make.
“Lack of funding has forced some Schools on the Island to stop all photocopying, while at least one has run out of exercise books and can cannot afford to purchase any more. Ten schools have already been forced to declare redundancies this year. Class sizes will be increasing from September and many GCSE and post-16 courses, particularly in the Arts, are no longer being taught on the Island.
“A recent survey of NUT members on the Isle of Wight found that 57% of teachers are often using their own money to buy resources for children due to lack of school funds.”
Nicky Morgan urged to listen
Dominic finished by saying,
“Meanwhile George Osborne is freezing the cash per pupil he gives to schools, whilst increasing what he takes from them. For every 20 teachers employed, a school has to find an extra teacher salary to give to the Treasury.
“I have written to the Island MP, Andrew Turner, urging him to seek a meeting with the Secretary of State for Education to discuss the funding for Isle of Wight Schools. We urge Nicky Morgan to listen.”
